JOIN US'Discoms must pay MCDs'
The BJP has demanded that all the three power distribution companies pay arrears in electricity tax to the municipal corporations.
State BJP president Vijender Gupta wrote to Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna, demanding that he directs the discoms to pay the arrears immediately.
According to Gupta, Sections 112 and 113 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act say every power consumer in the city has to pay power tax at the rate of 5 per cent to the municipal corporation.
However, ever since power supply was privatised in Delhi on July 1, 2002, Gupta alleged that discoms have not paid a single penny of electricity tax to the civic body, whereas lakhs of units of power are being consumed at offices, workshops, godowns and grid stations of these three discoms.
“The city government is silent about it. The financial condition of the municipal corporations is extremely weak after the trifurcation and every single penny is precious,” said Gupta.
BSES Yamuna Power Ltd, BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd supply power to different areas of the Capital.
“All the three power companies have not installed meters at their places deliberately so that the municipal corporation, Delhi government, or any other audit institutions may not know about the quantity of power being consumed by them,” said Gupta.
“This is a serious offence. The power companies directly take action to send any common consumer to jail for stealing power, but they themselves are involved in theft of lakhs of units of power every day,” added Gupta.
He said the discoms are burdening general consumers for private power consumption. He said power companies recover charges of streetlights installed on roads and parks of the three corporations, but they have been evading payment of electricity tax to the civic body for a decade.
He sought payment of electricity tax arrears to improve the financial condition of the corporations. The money recovered will be used for the welfare of people, he added.